


Tell Me Why The World Never Fights Fair

by CasiplesCastle



Series: Someone Take Me Home [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Divergence - Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Civil War Team Iron Man, F/M, Howard Stark’s A+ Parenting, Maria Hill is a Good Bro, Nick Fury Feels, Nick Fury cares about Tony Stark, Nick Fury is Not Amused, Not Steve Friendly, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Protective Howard Stark, Protective Nick Fury, Protective Phil Coulson, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 15:16:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13079652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasiplesCastle/pseuds/CasiplesCastle
Summary: I’m just an old man who cares very much about you.Nick thought he handed the responsibility of saving the world in capable hands. He never considered he may have been wrong.





	1. Nick talks to Tony

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: None of the Marvel characters are mine, of course.
> 
> A/N: Just a little Nick Fury feels. It just came to me and I felt it needed to be written. I now have a full playlist for this series and I intend to write all the plot bunnies it can give me.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this one. Let me know what you think.

Stark was not amused to see him standing in the shadows in his living room at the Stark Tower.

It was a year and some months after Siberia and there was really nothing Nick can say to the other man that could encompass the shitstorm that Tony was left to deal with in the wake of the rogue Avengers’ escape.

They both knew Nick fucked up somewhere along the way, which made this _his_ clusterfuck. Nick has never made a rookie mistake of this magnitude since Director Carter recruited him when he’d been in his mid-thirties to be her right-hand man.

From SHIELD’s fall to the Sokovia Accords, Nick knew that he should’ve been there to help oversee the assholes also known as the Avengers and prevented them from doing something as monumentally stupid as where they were now and kept them in check instead of leaving Tony to fend for himself against the world and the people he thought he could trust. He should’ve been there to stop Steve from recruiting Maximoff and nipped Tony’s self-made punishment by banishing himself from the Avengers in the bud. He should’ve been there before _Captain_ fucking _America_ beat Iron Man to a pulp and left him to dry in the freezing temperatures of a hidden Hydra base in Siberia.

He should’ve been there when Steve lied to Tony’s face for years.

So, Nick couldn’t begrudge Tony’s bitterness and his verbal lashings when it was Nick’s fault in the first place that he never saw right through Rogers’ bullshit.

He should’ve known about Barnes. He should’ve known about Maria and Howard Stark.

Except he didn’t _know_.

“How could you _not_ know?!” Tony fumed, eyes dangerously furious. “You’re a spy! You’re _the_ Spy! How can you not know that they were _murdered_?! How can you not know _he_ kept it a fucking secret?!”

“The same way I didn’t know Hydra had infiltrated SHIELD and only suspected something was wrong.” Nick said wearily. He was getting too old for this shit. “The same way I couldn’t have foreseen Rogers rejecting the Accords when we all thought he would’ve been the first to jump at something like this and you would’ve been the hardest to convince that it was inevitable. I’m not perfect, Tony. I may be a spy but even the world’s got more to it than what this old man can know.”

Tony gritted his teeth and said nothing, turning to his liquor bar and pouring himself a helpful glass of scotch. He turned back to Nick, eyes locking with the presumed dead director.

“Accountability and responsibility,” Nick mused when too much silence passed. “It seemed right up his alley until the asshole decided to punch his way out of it. We all thought Captain America would champion this, be the first to speak about signing it. And here we are, he’s nowhere to be found and here you are—”

“Yeah,” Tony retorted as he scoffed. “Here I am, picking up after their shit!”

“And here you are,” Nick countered, giving Tony a look. “Claiming the responsibility Steve never could.”

Tony tilted his head, confused. He let out a vindictive sigh as he lounged on his sofa.

“Steve isn’t built like you, Tony.” Nick sighed, taking a seat on the other sofa. Tony scoffed again. “He and the others weren’t designed to handle the stuff you can.”

“What bullshit is that?” Tony retorted. Nick shot him a look and Tony swigged his drink.

“Barton, Wilson, and Romanoff are built to follow orders. They were trained for it, they made a living out of it, and they found purpose in it. Scott Lang is stupid enough to trust the word of an American icon and Maximoff’s young enough to get caught in the shitstorm. While Steve,” Nick sighed and rubbed his temples, wishing for a drink. “Steve Rogers was not built for peace time.”

Tony shot from his seat and refilled his drink. Nick kept kneading his temples, staving off the budding migraine. He could see where Steve was coming from, Nick really could. After SHIELD fell, Nick certainly saw the merit of taking matters to their own hands, to safeguard the power that came with the unbearable burden of being something _remarkable_ from greedy, shadowed hands. But where Steve may have been right to challenge the Accords, the heart of the matter was that it was never about the Accords. Not with this fuck up.

It was about the past. Steve Rogers had just lost Peggy Carter to time. In the same breath, he was about to lose Barnes, too. The only thing he had left linking him to the life he knew was going to be crucified by the people he thought he couldn’t trust. It just so happens that the people he couldn’t trust turned out to be the rest of the world.

So, Steve took the easy way out; he fought _against_ the world.

The crap they had to deal with and the amount of damage control they had to do just to ensure the rest of the Avengers who stayed and the loved ones of those who ran were safe was almost equivalent to the damage control they scrambled to do after SHIELD’s fall.

Nick thought he handed the responsibility of saving the world in capable hands. He never considered he may have been wrong.

A moment later, a glass of scotch magically appeared in front of him, held out like an olive branch. Nick smirked and gratefully accepted, downing nearly half of it in one gulp.

“I don’t understand that, Nick.” Tony confessed, quiet and uncertain. “If anyone’s built for war, it’s me.”

“No, you were built to fix what war tore apart. You were designed to protect and defend.” Nick answered. “Didn’t you claim to single-handedly privatize world peace?”

“Yeah, well, that was my _ego_ talking.” Tony said and it sounded bitter enough that Nick thought it was wise not to touch it with a ten-foot pole.

“Well, it’s true. You stabilized relations between the Middle East and its Western counterparts. You redefined the term _modern_ _weaponry_. For years we dealt with Iron Man’s self-appointed, half-assed missions.” Nick downed the rest of his drink. “And for years, we made sure whatever good you did for the world stuck around for a long while. I’ll throw you a bone and admit we were grateful half the time you did our job for us, but you were never alone in trying to fix the world. We were right there along with you, trying to help in any way we can because, contrary to popular belief, _we_ knew _you_ knew what you were doing.”

Tony scoffed bitterly. “It sure didn’t feel like it. I was _there_. I fixed my mess, handled the governments and press on my ass, and I dealt with those who tried to fill the power vacuum I cleaned up. SHIELD was _nowhere_ to be seen or heard from. I would’ve _known_.”

Tony’s words rang with certainty but his eyes screamed a vulnerability that looked brittle and torn. Nick knew which thoughts were passing through his head. He _wouldn’t_ have known. How could he? The man who came home from Afghanistan had been drowning in so much guilt and self-loathing that atoning for his sins consumed him. He wouldn’t have noticed SHIELD even if it politely asked him for a schedule to debrief him. Add the revelations that got them in this clusterfuck in the first place, Tony knew he _didn’t_ know a lot of things.

“The reason for that is a little more personal to me. I didn’t want to reveal SHIELD’s intervention until it was absolutely necessary. I promised Howard we were going to stay away from you, said his son was off limits to SHIELD.” Nick leaned forward and looked the younger man in the eye. “Because _you_ were going to change the world. He said only _you_ had the means and knowledge to finish what he started. Didn’t I tell you he said that?”

Tony nodded as he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, but I still don’t believe he said that. Maybe you knew him better than I did, I don’t know—but it still won’t change the fact that all he ever made me feel was that he hated my guts because I couldn’t measure up to an _icon_.”

Nick grunted but opted to keep his opinions to himself. It wasn’t his place to speak for a dead man on how he felt about his son. Howard was a hard-ass asshole, it was true, but Nick knew the lengths he was willing to go to protect his son. Tony, as much as he needed that assurance, will never believe him anyway, no matter how hard he tried to make him see.

“I’ve already crossed the line when I invited you to be an Avenger. Howard would’ve been pissed if he saw what came out of that now.” Nick sighed. “But Howard was right. You _did_ change the world. It changed the day you stood in front of a press and told them you were Iron Man. I dusted off the Avengers Initiative _because_ of you.”

Tony’s trembling hand stopped midway to his lips, the ice of his scotch tingled against the glass. He put the glass down and sighed. “I’m just a man in a can, Nick.”

“With something remarkably powerful pulsing in your chest.”

“The arc reactor’s gone, has been for years.” Tony said, looking at him as if he didn’t understand how Nick could miss the lack of its glow on his chest. “The powerful, pulsing thing in my chest isn’t there anymore.”

Nick gave him a long look and Tony met it with one of his own. Finally, the elder man stood, straightening his coat as he asked, “Is it?”

Nick left the man to think about it. He disappeared as quickly as he appeared.

 

* * *

 

Deputy Director Nick Fury first met Anthony Edward Stark when he’d been seven years old.

He was running an errand for Director Carter that needed Mr. Stark’s immediate attention regarding weapons that far exceeded anything SHIELD’s ever seen. Their agents on the ground had warned them that the weapon was scheduled to detonate in a major city soon. There wasn’t time to waste. Stark’s input and expertise were direly needed. Lives were on the line. Nick would be damned if he didn’t do everything in his power to reduce casualties.

He found the man in his office, bending down over his son, listening to the boy chatter cheerfully with a small grin on his face. When Howard saw Nick looming on his threshold, he dismissed the boy almost irritably. The look on the boy’s face crumpled, as if his father had dealt him a blow, but he quickly gathered his things and went to find his mother as he was told. As the boy passed Nick by as he left, he saw what the boy had been working on with his father. The tech was of design far more advanced for a normal seven-year-old boy. He’d heard rumors about the young Stark heir’s intelligence. It was something Nick thought he should keep an eye on.

Howard saw the look on Nick’s face as his son left through the door and Nick understood that his irritability wasn’t because of his son at all.

“You wipe that look on your face, Fury.” Howard nearly snarled. “Stay away from Tony. This is your _only_ warning. My boy is off limits to SHIELD.”

“Understood, sir.” Nick answered agreeably and promptly. Surveillance didn’t immediately constitute as recruitment, after all.

“You promise me, Nick.” Howard insisted, eyes hardening. He knew Nick too well. “You do the best you can to save that boy from our shit. One day, the world will need him more than what either of us can give.”

“I don’t follow, sir.” Nick responded, a little bemused.

“He’s the only one with the means and knowledge to finish what I started.” Stark almost sounded wistful. “Tony’s going to change the world.”

Nick considered Howard for a long time, assessing, calculating.

Eventually, he nodded. “I promise, sir.”

Howard nodded in return and said nothing more, reaching for the file Nick brought with him.

 

* * *

 

Georgia was lovely this time of the year.

Nick was personally overseeing the surveillance teams, coordinating with the ground agents, while Phil saw to the emergency response teams just in case someone decided this was a good time to crash a party.

When Maria called in the remnants of her contacts, Nick was almost impressed by how well prepared she’d been in anticipating all possible and probable responses, from the objective of haranguing them into agreeing with the assignment to a very painful and violent refusal. But they were unnecessary. Maria didn’t even need to try very hard to convince them to do her a favor. Nick and Phil sure as hell didn’t need to see it as a favor.

Nick knew Phil as well as he knew himself, in which case, he knew for damn certain that they both saw this job as a small service to a hero and a friend.

The wedding had been beautiful and went off without a hitch. The wedding party now slowly made their way to greet the less important (but still necessary) invited guests, arriving to the reception one by one. They were greeted by the gracious groom and bride before they were shown to their seats inside the stunning reception. The best man and the rest of the Avengers moved through the crowd, making the obligatory rounds, chatting and smiling, ensuring everyone stayed happy.

Nick saw the celebration take off the moment they brought out the fancy seven-course meal and the expensive wine, but he stayed alert, guarding in the shadows.

When Rhodes made his speech and Tony’s eyes misted, rising to engulf his best man in his arms, Nick smiled wearily, the weight on his shoulders tipping slightly lighter.

“If only you can see your boy now, Mr. Stark, you’d be proud.” Nick murmured to himself, as he stood in the shadows where he always had, while Anthony Stark basked in the light where he belonged. “He changed the world.”


	2. Tony talks to Nick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick was a spy. He was the Spy. Nick also liked cake.

Nick’s safehouse was nondescript. Of course, it was. It _had_ to be.

He took his sweet time walking on the sidewalk and up the front door. He smirked to himself as he turned the key on the knob and pushed the door open and quickly closing it. He tossed his keys on the coffee table while, in the same breath, he pointed his gun at the figure in the dark.

“Tony,” he said, sounding exasperated. “Anyone ever told you not to sneak up on _the_ Spy?”

The other man snorted obnoxiously and Nick could almost hear him roll his eyes. Nick placed the gun back to its holster and strolled through the dim living room and turned the lights on. Tony blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light.

“I’m here to give you some of the left-over wedding cake.” Tony said, pointing at the containers on Nick’s counter in the kitchen visible from where they stood. “I’ve already been to Agent Coulson’s place and he had grander tastes than this. Never would’ve thought. We had a nice chat. Although, it was after the Cavalry decided it was a good opportunity to hand me my ass. I didn’t know I’d ever be grateful for the day you settled for pointing a gun at my head.”

Nick snorted and went into the kitchen. He grabbed a plate and a fork then opened one of the containers. He took a huge chunk of cake and placed it on the plate then took the rest to the fridge. Nick was a spy. He was _the_ Spy. Nick also liked cake.

Tony followed him with a little smirk on his face as he watched Nick eat cake.

“I should’ve known your weakness was cake.” Tony teased as he took the seat at the counter opposite of Nick.

“A man’s got to eat somehow.” Nick said, rolling his eyes. “We don’t all run on caffeine and weird smoothies like you do, Tony.”

“How’d you like my wedding?” Tony asked, deep brown eyes gauging Nick.

Nick slathered more icing on his next bite. “Tell Pepper I said the reception was very beautiful.”

“I will,” Tony said sincerely. “Thanks for making sure my wedding didn’t turn into a shitstorm.”

“A thank-you note would’ve sufficed.” Nick retorted as he finished his cake. “What are you really doing here, Tony?”

Tony grinned wickedly. Nick could already feel the next headache surging to the surface that will not abate for at least another decade. “I’m here to talk to you about a SWORD.”

Nick pulled the container out of the fridge again. “I’m all ears.”


End file.
